Cargo barge



April 29, 1952 E, B. HUDSON 2,594,930

CARGO BARGE Filed Jan. 14, 1947 2 SHEETS-Smm 1 Baz.

N INVENToR vg+-|- fair/1v 5. /ruaSo/v.

ATTORNEYS.

April 29', 1952 E. BQf-HUDsoN 2,594,930

- CARGO BARGE Filed Jan. 14, 1947 '2 sl-xEETs-sx-'IEET 2 INVENTOR. 2W/a Haase/v.

BY. @flu/7m@ AT TOR H EVS.

Patented Apr. 29, 1952 CARGO BARGE Edwin B. Hudson, Middletown, Ohio, assignor to Armco Steel Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Application January 14, 1947, Serial No. 722,033

6 claims. (o1. 114-26) My invention relates to barges in which commodities may be transported, usually upon inland waterways. Such barges are bound together in elongated groups or tows and pushed to their destination by a powered vessel such as a steamboat or diesel boat. It is the practice in the art to design and construct barges for particular types of commodities, their use for other types of commodities being restricted or impossible.

There is, however, a substantial problem in connection with long haul transportation on inland waterways. The movement of a particular type of commodity will be limited largely, if not entirely, to movement in a single direction. Barges employed for a particular commodity in such traiiic are not generally adapted to the transportation of other types of commodities in the opposite direction. Yet there exist other types of commodities the movement of which is predominantly in the opposite direction. For example, the movement of oil and petroleum products from the port of New Orleans by barge is up river and extends to the areas served by the tributaries of the Mississippi. Thus, oil is shipped by barge from New Orleans to reiineries in the Cincinnati area. These barges must, however, return empty since they are not suitable for the transportation of other commodities in the opposite direction. Yet there are commodities such as steel which, south and west of the Cincinnati area, move predominantly in the opposite direction.

The movement of empty barges over long hauls on inlandy waterways is both uneconomical and inconvenient. It is well-known that the towing vof groups of unloaded barges involves considerable diiculty especially in the suspectibility of a long tow. which rides high out of the water, lto displacement and turning by wind pressure.

The principal object of this invention is a provision of a new type of barge to meet the need for a vessel which will carry different types of cargo in the light of the problem s'et forth above.

Y. Specically it is an `object of the invention to provide a barge capable of carrying .either liquid cargo or solid cargo and fully adapted to the transportation and protection of both types.

It is an object of the invention to provide a barge having the above characteristics which, nevertheless, is adequately strong and secure, and in which separate compartments are provided for the transportation of both types of my invention are useful in other fields.

commodities so that the previous use of the barge for transporting one type will not affect its ability to transport the other, or the conditions of protection of the said other commodity during its transportation.

These and other objects of the invention which will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specications I accomplish by that construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now describe as exemplary embodiment which is a barge capable of use in the transportation of oil and petroleum products in one direction and the transportation of sheet steel or other metal products in the opposite direction. While the exemplary embodiment aforesaid is indicative of a large ield of utility' for my invention, it does not exhaust its utility, and barges responding to Reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of my exemplary barge with portions cut away to show interior construction.

Figure 2 is .an elevational view thereof with parts cut away at one end to show interior con'- struction.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional vieW taken along the line 3, 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view transverse the barge taken along the line 4, 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 5, 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a partial sectional viewtalen along the line 6, 6 of Figure 4. 1 K Figure 7 is a partial plan view showing one of the expansion domes which I may employ.

'Ihe barge herein illustrated and described is made of steel plates welded or otherwise joined together and associated with an interior, strength-giving frame work and is exemplary of one type of construction to which the .principles of my invention may be applied. The barge is so constructed as to provide certain spaced compartments Vprovided with covering hatches for the shipment of steel, the remainder of the hold of the barge being divided into a plurality of tanks or compartments for the shipment ofy liquid cargo.

I-Iitherto it has been the practice to provide in barge construction a series of compartments which, lled with air, contribute the desired buoyancy to the barge, together with other compartments or tanks for carrying the solid or liquid cargo. In the practice of my invention 1 divide a barge into two series of compartments, one series oi which is designed for the shipment of solid cargo and the other series of which. constituting tanks. is designed for the Shipment of liquid cargo. 'ihe basic concept making possible the successful use of my barge for wet and dry cargos is the concept o1' employing the tanks as buoyancy compartments when the barge is in use for the shipment of dry cargo, and the employment of the tanks for wet cargo, the dry cargo compartments furnishing the required buoyancy on the return trip. I have further found that by calculating the loads it is possible to apportion the volume capacities of the compartments and tanks respectively in such a way that the loads in each type of use of the barge will be substantially equal and hence the water line of the loaded barge will fall substantially at the same level irrespective of the type of the Cargdcarried. Since the compartments for the two types of cargo are different, no cleaning problem arises, and itis not lnecessary to remove the after effects'of onetype of cargo beforethe barge may be employed for carrying the other.

It is known in a barge or Vother'vessel lto provide cargo compartments in association with buoyancy tanks into which water may be introduced, if desired, to trim the vessel. So far as is known, however, no structure has hitherto been provided having classes of compartments, in which these compartments could be used as desired for solid or liquid cargo, the unused compartments furnishing the required buoyancy. The great differences in the specific weights of oil and steel, for example, permit the proportioning of the types of cargo spaces to the ends set forth above, and in particular to the proportioning of kcompartments employed for buoyancy scribed. AThe barge is p'ii'vided with bumper plates 'indieated at 2. The bottom plates 'I are 'fastener to a 'series of angular bottom struts 8 over which I preferably `fasten an inner floor of Vplate metal 9'. This inner iloor may be continuous and across the barge and welded at its edges 'to 'the curved 'corner plates I0 of the barge to provide a bulk-headed bottom construction. I prefer, however, a modification of the construction as later set forth. At the ends of the` barge other struts Il running longitudinally (see Figures 2 and 3) may be employedand the inner floor laid over them. Y

The barge is provided Ywith a pair of compartments marked A and B which are spaced from each otherv and spaced from the sides and ends of the barge. Excepting vfor a pair of relatively small compartments located at each end of the barge and marked II, I2, I3 and I4, the remainder of the barge is divided by bulk-heads in a welded construction into 10 tanks marked respectively I5 to 24 inclusive. The barge is reinforced by lateral, cross-braced frames. At the ei'i'ds and'in the central portion of the barge theseframes extend acrossit -from side to side 'indieated at '2'5 and v26 in Figures 42` and 3.

Opposite the compartments A and B the frames are snort as snown at z'I and zu in figure 4. Longitudinal angie irons ZH connect trie corneis oi die individual :rames and serve as means to which the outer piates and tne inner buik-heads or the barge may be attache-.i as by welding. In Ibigui'e e .L have indicated the outer piates at 3a and 3l. These are also attached as shown to the corner members Iil. VInner lpiates 32 and 33 are also shown as attached to tne trames.

'lne compartments A and B are provided with side walls 34 and 55 and end walls, one of' which is shown in lflgurel at 3e". These walls may be stiiiened and braced inteiiorly by metal angles 5I and 38. The side and end Walls oi' the conipartments are spaced from the inner piates or bulkneads which surround them, two of which are indicated at 32 and 33 in Figure 4. Top plates 39 and lill, which cover all of the barge excepting the compartments A and B are at- 'tacned to the vangles 29 at the tops of the Vrrames but extend inwardly to meet the side and end walls or' the compartments A and vB, where they may be welded to angles 4I on these walls. The top piates thus form a deck for the barge covering and forming the tops of all liquid receiving tanks in the barge and covering the top or' the spacing between the side and end walls of the compartments A and B and the corresponding bulk-head walls of the tanks.

Each compartment A or B is thus surrounded by a colerdam construction having an interior space which I have marked C. This space is preferably wide enough (say 18 inches or more) to permit entrance of a workman for welding; and the top plates are provided with a manhole entrance as at 42 in Figure 1, leading to the space C. Instead of running the inner floor 9 continuously 'across the barge at the positions of the compartments, I lprefer to omit it under the space C, continuing it as at 9a under the sidewise disposed tanks. In this event the cofferdam may be used as a space through which any water leaking in and ycollecting above the bottom or" the barge may be withdrawn by pumping. I vprefer to cut away the bottom portions of the struts y3 at intervals as at 8a to permit drainage. The inner plates l32 and 3-3 of the tanks are preferably smooth and unobstructed on their sides facing the cofferdarn space so as to facilitate maintenance of the barge and prevent the formation of gas pockets in the c'oierdam space.

The various frames may be Ycross-braced as at 25a in Figures 2 and 3, and the sheet or plate metal ytank-dividing partitions 52 are welded: at their sides and bottomsv to the side plates vSil o'r 3'I of the barge, to the bulkhead plates 32, 33 etc., Vand to the inner floors 9 or 9a respectively to give a liquid-tight construction. It is not necessary that they be welded to the decking .plates 39 and 40, though this may be done, if desired.' I prefer to 'terminate the partitions short of the deckingplates, as most clearly shown in Fig. 6, reinforcing 'their upper edges with metal angles 53 as may be required. This leaves space beneath the decking for a system of piping by means of which the tanks may be emptied and lled. Such a system of piping is indicatedfat 54. in Figure l. It is provided with valves 55 operable from above the deck, with vertical pipes as at 56 extending to the bottoms of the several tanks, and with a suitable shore connection as at 57, 5 v For the shipment of the sheet steel I prefer to provide the bottom 'or floor of the compartments A and B with wood beams 43 bolted as at 44 to angles 45 welded or otherwise fastened to the floor 9. The compartments A and B are covered with hatch coversl 45, 46, 41 and 4t which are movable to give access to the compartments. I preferably mount these hatch covers on rollers slidable on tracks 49 and 50 which tracks are fastened to the steel deck of the barge'. The coierdam space C may be vented by ventilators 5l.

Each of the several liquid cargo tanks l5 to 24 inclusive is provided with an expansion dome 58. The domes have access openings with tight covers 59, and are also provided with vertical stand-pipes 6B iitted with vacuum'release valves. Where expansion domes for adjacent tanks come close together, they may have a common standpipe and valve as will be evident from the drawings.

For fastening the barge a tow or for mooring it, I provide the conventional bits 6l. As hereinabove indicated, one feature of my invention is an apportioning of the volume capacity of the two classes of cargo compartments, vin the light of the speciiic weights of the classes of cargo, to provide a vessel in which either class of cargo compartments will furnish the required buoyancy when the other class is loaded. In the exemplary embodiment, my barge for the shipment of steel and oil is 195 feet in length, 35 feet in width and 13 feet in depth, with a total volume capacity of 68,810 cubic feet. A volume capacity of 20,790 cubic feet is allotted to dry cargo and a volume capacity o1 48,020 cubic feet is allotted to liquid cargo. With a petroleum oil averaging 32.3 cubic feet per ton, filling the tanks l5 to 24 90% full, gives a cargo weight of 1340 tons. The same weight of steel at 124 pounds per cubic foot may be readily placed in compartments A and B (taken together), and considerging proper packing for shipment. Thus, it will be seen that each class of compartment, when empty, will provide the desired buoyancy in the vessel for the normal cargo in the other class of compartment.

The great difference between the speciiic weights of steel and oil permits the apportioning of the cargo spaces in such a way that maximum loads of of each commodity may be transported in the respective directions, and this is a very great advantage. With classes of commodities having less dierence in their specic weights the apportioning of the volume capacities of the classes of compartments may be varied and a comprise effected.

Modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of it. Having thus described my invention in an exemplary embodiment, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a barge a hull comprising a bottom and side and end walls, ribs overlying said bottom, floored and walled compartments for the shipment of dry cargo symmetrically arranged in said hull and resting on said ribs, said compartments being spaced from the sides and ends of said hull, means dividing substantially the remainder of said hull into tanks for the shipment of liquid cargo, said means comprising walls spaced from the walls of said compartments, said tanks terminating upwardly in a decking extending from the sides and ends of said barge to the walls of said compartments whereby a covered space is left surrounding the walls of said compartments, hatch means covering said compartments, piping communicating with said tanks, and access openings through said decking communicating with the spaces between said compartments and said tanks. 5 2. The structure claimed in claim l wherein' said hatch means are slidable on tracks aiiixed to said decking, and wherein expansion domes and vacuum release valves are in communication with said tanks, and in which saidl ribs are cut lo away to permit drainage above s aid bottom, the space between said compartments and tanks opening downwardly into the space above said bottom andl providing a means for pumping leakiage from said barge. y i

3. The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said hatch means are slidable on tracks aiiixed to said decking, and whereinvexpansion domes and vacuum release valves are Ain communica; tion with said tanks, wherein said ribs are cut away to permit drainage above said bottom, the

space between said compartments and tanks opening downwardly into the space above said bottom and providing a means for pumping leakage from said barge, and including ventilating means in communication with said space.

4. In a cargo barge capable of a two-way haul.

wherein a dry cargo is to be carried in one direction and a liquid cargo is to be carried in the opposite direction and the two cargoes are of such nature that separate compartments must be provided for each, a hull having a bot`-v tom and side and end walls, spaced ribs overlying said bottom, a floored and walled dry cargo compartment symmetrically arranged about the center of gravity of said barge and supported on said Iribs, said dry cargo compartment being spaced from the sides and end of said barge, ...means dividing substantially the remainder of the hull into liquid cargo compartments, said means comprising walls spaced from the walls of said dry cargo compartment to provide cofferdam space surrounding said dry cargo compartment, the walls of the liquid cargo compartments facing said cofferdam space being substantially free of obstructions thereby facilitating ready maintenance of the walls of said liquid cargo compartments, said liquid cargo compartments terminating upwardly in decking etxending from the sides of the barge to the walls of the dry cargo compartment, hatch means covering the dry cargo compartment, piping communicating with the liquid cargo compartment, and access openings in the decking communicating with said coferdam space.

5. In a .cargo barge capable of a two-way haul wherein a .dry cargo is to be carried in one direction and a liquid cargo is to be carried in the opposite direction and the two cargoes are of such nature that separate compartments must be provided for each, a hull having a bottom and side and end walls, ribs overlying said bottom, a oored and walled dry cargo compartment symmetrically arranged about the center of gravity of said barge and supported on said ribs, said dry cargo compartment being spaced from the sides and ends oi said barge, substantially the remainder of the hull being divided into tanks surrounding said dry cargo compartment, the volume capacities of said compartment and the aggregate of said tanks being proportioned in substantially inverse ratio to the specific weights of a predetermined dry cargo and a predetermined liquid cargo so that during the shipment of said predetermined dry cargo the tanks will supply the required buoyance for the dry n v6. In a. cargo barge apabi'e'j'oli tW-Wafhaul x "Wherein a.- dry cargo is -to-be*carried in one -di- Aifet'icjn and 'fa lliquid" irai-gov is to be -oaried 't'.h "Oprote' difectiil. nd th, #Wb cefges 'afge of- 'such-'ature that-l's'eparate'compartments must be r'vided fai @aan "a 11u11 jcjomprismg @a boe; tom 'nd l`side and l'fend Walls, VVspaced apart', -ribs overlying 1 said btto'r'n,- 'a fioored and walled cargo l*compartnr; {symmetriea'lly 'arranged l'about "the -centr of gravity of s'aid barge VAand s`ubxt`e`d on said ribs, ysaid compartment lieingfspaeedfromthesides 'andends of said barge, means' dividing substantially the remainder of the *hull "into V-liquid cargo compartments, f said means -'omyi'rising walls `'spaced'frointhe WaH'sof 'Said dry earo compartment. said -liquid enai'go ingeictriding from tne-'sidesA of the barge-tothe walls of said dry cargo Ucompartment .vn/'hereby =a' Covered space left-separating the 'Wa-11S bf Vtheubottom of the bargemfon-puinping leakage Atnerefrom and for inspecting the compartments. y y EDWIN "B: HUDSON.

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